Increasingly, personal computers, particularly laptop computers, are sold preloaded with networking hardware and software. Typically, new laptop computers are sold preprovisioned with all of the hardware necessary to connect to the Internet right out of the box.
Another recent marketing trend is to provide laptop computers with wireless network capabilities, including wireless (WiFi) network cards (e.g., IEEE 802.11(g)). Eventually, laptop computers may come provisioned with cellular network transceivers. While WiFi-type wireless network cards are easily implemented because their communication protocol is standardized, this is not true for cellular wireless data networks. Instead, a number of competing cellular technologies are currently deployed by a variety of cellular service providers. Also, the various cellular service providers require the use of carrier-specific technical settings in order to access to their networks. Further, each cellular carrier has its own preferred roaming list (PRL) which must be loaded to the cellular network transceiver in order to be able to access the carrier's network.
This variety of technical settings required for cellular wireless modem cards complicates the manufacture and sale of laptop computers. One solution is to sell laptop computers specifically configured for particular carriers. However, this approach creates inventory challenges as an inventory of laptops must be provisioned and stocked for each cellular carrier even though the only difference between laptops is a small amount of cellular provisioning information stored on the cellular wireless modem card. Since it is not possible to know in advance which carriers will attract more consumers, retailers must maintain excess inventory. Alternatively, consumers may be required to visit a cellular carrier's store to have the cellular wireless card activated (i.e., programmed with provisioning data). However, this extra step is likely to generate consumer dissatisfaction. Both alternatives will also require the consumer to bring the laptop computer into a carrier's store in order to switch to a new carrier.